31 August 2008

From August 22-24, we in CGSA went on our annual camping trip. The weather was much better than last year; the dry conditions this summer apparently depressed the mosquito population, which was a welcome relief.

We camped at Dillon State Park, which is the home of Dillon Reservoir, where we swam, as you can see below.

The park itself was surprisingly manicured, almost like a golf course.

Different members of the group took turns preparing meals. Kelly and I prepared breakfast on Saturday morning. We fried bacon and toasted bagels over a campfire. If anyone reading wants to try this, be careful because bacon grease is surprisingly flammable! Probably the best items were the hamburgers grilled over the fire for dinner on Saturday night.

We went on a hike that became much longer than we intended. We did not have a trail map, so we got quite lost. Everyone else seemed to handle it with good humor. Once we successfully found our way out of the woods and back to park headquarters, we celebrated.

Once Bob told us that this was a Buckeye Tree, I think this pose became inevitable. I am still not sure why Jona is kicking.

We had good food and a re-dedication ceremony for the park after major improvements that have made it a much friendlier place for children to play. The tennis courts you can see in the Google map have been replaced by a modern playground. Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee made a surprise appearance after speeches from several local officials and activists.

It was very encouraging to see children running and playing in this new park. Community organizations, government programs, churches, community gardens , and even the Obama campaign had booths at the festival. I was grateful to see so many people taking ownership of this neighborhood as it continues to improve.

"When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;when the wicked rule, the people groan"

"The righteous care about justice for the poor,but the wicked have no such concern."

29 August 2008

After I received my influenza vaccination shot in November, I received an electronic survey from Student Health Services. One element of the survey seemed unusual to me. The first question in the Demographics section gave me three options for reporting my sex.

12 August 2008

Below is a message from a Chemistry Dept. faculty about an odd person wandering near their labs. Since our building is in somewhat close proximity I thought I would pass it on, since the campus police have asked to be called if he is seen.

Thanks,...

-------- Original Message --------

...

A young caucasion, age about 30 or so, has been wandering about Evans lab this afternoon. He stopped in our lab asking for liquid nitrogen, to be put in a styrofoam cup, but not for scientific purposes. He is about 6 feet tall or maybe shorter, thin, curly light brown hair, wearing brown shorts, wearing a harmonica around his neck, carrying the styrofoam cup, and cotton-tipped swabs in some aluminum foil. I confronted him, and he seemed offended that I was asking him who he was. He told me a name (I forget what), and said that he worked jointly with the Haddad and Platz groups. I just inquired of a student/post-doc in Prof. Platz' lab, who told me that someone of this description also asked for LN2 last Friday. Others have just told me that he has wandered the building in years (sic) past. The Campus Police have just stopped by my office and taken this report. They asked me to tell you in this email, if you see someone with this description, to phone the campus police right away. Phone either 2-2121 or 911, the calls will go to the same dispatcher.

Relevant Quotes

"This is what the LORD says: 'If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time…If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed laws of heaven and earth, then I will reject the descendants of Jacob and David my servant'" - Jeremiah 33:20, 25-26 (NIV)

"It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out."- Proverbs 25:2 (ESV)

"The scientific ethos, moreover, is...the will to be obedient to the truth, and, as such, it embodies an attitude which belongs to the essential decisions of the Christian spirit." - Pope Benedict XVI